1925 Gold W.W. Gerhard Medal 53.0g Medallic Arts Co. NY. 14K

Coin Details

Auction Record

$480 MS66+ 01-13-2019 eBay

Description

This 1925 gold medal, weighing 53.0 grams in 14-karat gold, is the W. W. Gerhard Medal produced by Medallic Art Company of New York. The Gerhard Medal was an award established in honor of William Wood Gerhard (1809-1872), a distinguished Philadelphia physician who made important contributions to the differentiation of typhus and typhoid fevers. Medical award medals represent a significant category within Medallic Art Company's production, as hospitals, medical societies, and educational institutions frequently commissioned gold and silver medals to honor outstanding achievement in medicine and the sciences. The 14K gold composition at 53 grams represents a substantial precious metal investment, indicating this was a prestige award of the highest order. At current gold prices, the intrinsic metal value alone would be significant, and the combination of precious metal content, artistic quality, and institutional significance makes this a notable piece. Medallic Art Company produced many of America's most prestigious institutional award medals, and their work for medical and scientific organizations helped cement the tradition of gold medal awards that continues across many disciplines today.

Rarity Notes

14K gold, 53.0 grams. Medallic Art Co. NY. Award medal in precious metal. Extremely limited production — struck individually for recipients. Very rare.

Cross References

PCGS #541616